Electromechanical operator for copy holders



Nov. 8, 1938. R. v. STREETER ELECTROMECHANICAL OPERATOR FOR COPY HOLDERSFiled Jan. 21, 1938 Jfivenior Aziorneys Patented Nov. 8, 1938 (UNITEDSTATES mar PATENT OFFICE ELECTROMECHANICAL OPERATOR FOR COPY HOLDERS 4Claims.

My invention relates to copyholders and particularly to operatingmechanism therefor.

In use of copyholders in connection with operation of keyboard-equippedmachines such as typewriters, type-casting machines and the like, it isessential that advancing of the copy matter may be accomplished rapidlyand easily and with minimum shifting of the operators hands from theirnormal positions over the keyboard. It is also necessary that the copymatter be advanced each time through a suitable distance and that thecopyholder operating means be adjustable to provide for variousdistances of advance.

An object of my invention is to provide a copyholder operating mechanismwhich may be operated by a light touch on a control element adapted forplacement in closely adjacent relation with the keys of a keyboardoperated machine.

Another object is to provide such a mechanism of an electricallycontrollable nature.

Still another object is to provide such a mechanism arranged for rapidmovement of a copyholder without subsequent coasting thereof.

Yet another object is to provide such a mechanism having quickly andeasily operatable means for adjustively altering the distance throughwhich each operation will advance the copy matter.

A further object is to provide such mechanism of light, compact, rugged,dependable and inexpensive construction.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will more fullyappear in the following description made in conection with theaccompanying drawing, in which like reference characters refer tosimilar parts throughout the several views, and, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a portion of the keyboard of a Linotypeline-casting machine with an embodiment of my invention associatedtherewith;

Fig. 2 is an end view of the embodiment of my invention shown in Fig. 1taken from the right thereof as viewed in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an end view taken from the left;

Fig. 4 is a detail View of a certain part of the device; and

Fig. 5 is an electrical connection diagram of the device.

My improved copyholder operating mechanism is shown in the drawingcombined with a copyholder similar, except as regards the operatingmechanism, to my copyholder illustrated and described in my Patent No.2,006,609, issued July 2, 1935, and entitled copyholder.

My electrical copyholder operating device is shown incorporated in acopyholder having an open topped casing 6 with left and right hand endwalls 1 and 8 in which is journalled a shaft 9 carrying a copyholdingdrum l0 disposed within the casing 6. The left-hand end of the shaft 9is provided with a knob H. The casing 5 is shown in Fig. 1 associatedwith a Linotype machine keyboard having keys l2.

The drum carrying shaft 9 is provided at its right-hand end with acylindrical body or collar l3 formed of suitable magnetic material suchas iron or the like. As shown in Fig. 2, an armature I4 is horizontallydisposed a moderate distance above the cylindrical member l3 and ismounted at its rear end on a pivot pin l5 projecting from the end wall 8of the casing 5. Obviously the armature i4 is arranged for swingingmovement upwardly and downwardly. Above the armature M an electromagnetI5 is mounted on the end wall 8 with its core or pole Ifia disposedabove the medial portion of the armature M, for the purpose of raisingthe armature 14 when the electromagnet I6 is energized. Means isprovided for determining the lower limit of movement of the armature Mand thus also determining the distance through which the armature M canmove. This limiting means is preferably adjustable so as to provide forvarious distances of movement of the armature M. A bracket H is mountedon the forward portion of the end wall 8 below the forward end of thearmature M. The bracket 1'! includes an outwardly projecting portion Ilawhich is apertured and internally screw threaded. A screw l8, havingpreferably a knurled head la and a flange lBb immediately inwardly ofthe head la, is screw-threadedly mounted in the aperture of the bracketll so as to provide for clamping a suitable object between flange I81)and the projecting leg lid of the bracket ll. An element l9 illustratedin Fig. 4 is centrally apertured for projecting of the screw l8therethrough. The element [9 is mounted by means of the aperture 19atherethrough on the screw l8 between the flange [8b and the leg Ila ofthe bracket ll. The element H] has a series of peripheral portionsthereof I91), 190, id, 596, I91, and [99' disposed at various respectivedistances from the aperture I911. The normally tightened screw 18 may beloosened and the element l9 turned so that any desired one of therespective above mentioned peripheral portions of the element l9 mayserve as a stop engaging the lower side of the free end of the armatureM whereby the distance of travel of the armature l4 may be adjustablyselected. The screw it is, of course, tightened to clamp the element E9in any one of the respective positions thereof.

Means is provided in association with the armature l 4 for engaging theperiphery of the cylindrical magnetic member 13. For this purpose anelectromagnet 20 is disposed forwardly of the member l3 with its core orpole 28a closely adjacent said periphery so as to attract and engage thesame. The electromagnet 20 is provided at its upper side with an element2|, projecting upwardly and at its upper end pivotally mounted on a pin22 carried by a clip 23 movable longitudinally of the armature I3, andarranged to be secured in any desired adjusted position on the armatureI4 by means of a set screw 24. The pivotal support of the electromagnet20 is so arranged that the electromagnet 20 is free to swing toward andaway from the magnetic member I3 in a direction substantially radiallythereof. The clip 23 should normally be so positioned on the armature I4that the pole 20a of the electromagnet 20 will be only very slightlyspaced from the periphery of the magnetic member I3; When theelectromagnet 20 is electrically energized so as to attract and engagethe magnetic member I3, it should be obvious that the upward movement ofthe armature I4 will shift the pole 20a in a direction substantiallycircumferential with respect to the member I3 so as to rotatively movethe member I3 through a predetermined angle. When such movement has beencompleted and the electromagnet 20 is still energized, it should beapparent that the pole 20a will function as a brake to halt rotation ofthe magnetic member I3 and thus prevent coasting of the same. Asillustrated in the connection diagram of Fig. 5, the electromagnets I6and 20 may be connected in series through a switch 25 to a suitablesource of electrical energy such as a battery 26 by means of electricalconductors 21, 28, 29 and 30.

The switch 25 should, of course, be of such nature as to be easilyoperated from a position closely associated with the keys I2 of akeyboard operated machine with which my device is used. For this purposeI provide a double ended lever- 3| pivotally mounted on the end wall Iof the casing 6 by suitable means such as the pivot screw 32 andcarrying a finger piece 33 at its forward end situated closely adjacentthe keys l2 as shown in Fig. 1. The rear portion of the double armedlever 3| carries thereon an electrical contact 34 insulated therefromand connected to one of the wires of the circuit of Fig. 5 such as thewire 28. For cooperation with the contact 34 another contact 35 isinsulatedly mounted on the end wall I thereabove and may be connected toanother wire of the circuit of Fig. 5 such as the wire 21. It should beapparent that downward pressure on the finger piece 33 will causeengagement of the contacts 34 and 35 to simultaneously energize theelectromagnets I8 and 20, whereupon the pole 20a will attract and engagethe periphery of the magnetic member I3, and the pole I611 of theelectromagnet I6 will raise the armature I4 to rotatively progress themagnetic member I3 through a predetermined angle determined by theselected position of the stop element I9. In normal operation of thedevice the finger piece 33 is held in its depressed position for asufiicient length of time to enable completion of the movement of thearmature I4, pole 20a and magnetic member I3 and provide for thepreviously described braking effect of the pole 20a on the magneticmember I3.

It is apparent that I have invented asimple, compact, inexpensive, andreliable copyholder operating mechanism capable of convenient and rapidoperation from a point closely associated with the keys of a keyboardoperated machine. It also should be apparent that my electromechanicaloperating device is readily adaptable for use in connection with manystructures other than copyholders of the type illustrated.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made inthe form, details, proportions and arrangements of the parts withoutdeparting from the scope of my invention.

What is claimed is:

1. Electromechanical apparatus including a rotatable body, a cylindricalmagnetic member connected co-axially with said body to rotate therewith,an electromagnet having a pole thereof situated closely adjacent theperiphery of said cylindrical member for attracting and engaging thesame, an armature by which said pole is carried with freedom formovement substantially radially of said cylindrical member, saidarmature being mounted for movement thereof such as to carry said polein a direction extending substantially circumferentially of saidcylindrical member, electromagnetic means for imparting said movement tosaid armature, and means for controlling electrical energization of saidelectromagnet and said electromagnetic means.

2. Electromechanical apparatus including, a rotatable body, acylindrical magnetic member connected co-axially with said body torotate therewith, an electromagnet, an armature associated with saidelectromagnet to be deflected in response to energization thereof, asecond electromagnet positioned for attracting and engaging theperiphery of said member and solely supported by said armature withfreedom for movement substantially radially of said member, saidarmature being defiectible in such direction that said secondelectromagnet will be shifted substantially circumferentially of saidmember responsive to energization of said first mentioned electromagnet,and means operatable to produce electrical energization of saidelectromagnets.

3. Electromagnetic apparatus including, a body rotatable about ahorizontal axis, a generally cylindrical, magnetic member co-axiallyconnected with said body for rotation therewith, a substantiallyhorizontally extending armature mounted at one of its ends for verticalswinging movement and disposed with its medial portion situated abovesaid member, stop means limiting downward movement of said armature, afirst electromagnet situated above said armature for deflecting the sameupwardly responsive to electrical energization of said electromagnet, asecond electromagnet supported by and disposed below said armature andnormally situated closely adjacent the periphery of said member forattraction of and engagement of the same, said second electromagnetbeing swingably carried by said armature for freedom for movement towardand away from said member substantially radially thereof, and meansoperatable to produce co-incidental electrical energization of saidelectromagnets.

4. Electromechanical apparatus including, a rotatably mounted magneticmember, an electro magnet situated for magnetically adhering to saidmember and being movable radially thereof for engagement with anddisengagement from the same, electromagnetic means operatable whenenergized to shift said electromagnet generally circumferentially ofsaid member, and means for electrically energizing said electromagnetand said electromagnetic means.

RALPH V. STREETER.

